new: bump's mnf mayday, mayday swap

dan_the_mailmanApril 18, 2009

Hello Everyone! And welcome to the MNF May Swap! Dan is busy with the Blue Seed Swap, so I'm going to host this swap for him. Since this is my first time hosting a swap (has an animal ever done this?), he's agreed to look assist me. So, ready for the rules on this one? I'm going to be changing things just a little, but I think you humans will enjoy it!

Everyone knows that we cats have 9 lives, so I think it would be nice if everyone sent 9 types of seeds, bulbs, or plants in their box. For example, Linda could send Dan 2 varieties of cosmos, 3 of coneflowers, some daffodil bulbs, 2 wisteria plants, some onions, and some basil, and that would equal 9 types. 2+3+1+1+1+1=9 Or, Wendy could send Fran 9 different types of roses, and that would fulfull her requirement!

Also, since this is a Mayday, Mayday swap, it would be nice if everyone would include at least one helpful item in their box. Some examples of this would be plant markers, a garden journal, a wheelbarrow (just kidding on that one!), plastic seed bags, or a nice set of pruners.

Now, here comes the twist. First, obtain a small flat-rate box from your local post office, if you don't keep them in stock at your house. Then, fill it with the 9 seeds, bulbs, and plants, your helpful item, and then anything else you think would be nice to recieve. Put a small card or note in your box, and seal it up. This all needs to be done by midnight of May 2nd. The idea is for you to NOT KNOW who will receive your box while you are filling it up!

Then, once all the boxes are sealed, I will privately e-mail you the name and address of who you are to send your box to. Sometime between May 4th thru the 9th, mail your box out with a delivery confirmation notice. Post the dc# here on this thread, but DO NOT say who you sent to! That way, everyone will be tracking the packages, wondering which one is coming to them!

Once you receive your box, post the contents and sender here on the swap thread, and also post a note on the rate and review forum for your sender.

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MOST IMPORTANTLY... HAVE FUN WITH THIS!!!

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Here's a list of dates we'll all need to remember for this swap...

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APRIL 18th to MAY 2nd: Sign-up and fill a small flat-rate box with goodies. Sign-up here, and send an e-mail to me (using Dan's e-mail address) with your name, address, and garden web name.

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MAY 3rd: Receive the name and address of who you are sending your box to. DO NOT TELL ANYONE WHO YOU ARE SENDING TO.

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MAY 4th to MAY 9th: Send box with delivery confirmation number, and post the number here on the thread.

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UPON RECEIPT OF YOUR BOX: Leave a review in the Rate & Review forum, and post here what your received, and from whom.

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Dan said I can offer prizes to the first 3 people who get their boxes sent out. So, let the May(hem) begin! Meow!

Bump, are we talking about the small flat rate boxes? The ones that mail for $4.95 - 5 3/8x 8 5/8 x 1 5/8

I think it use to be called the media mailer? Could you ask Dan to confirm this one for us? I would ask Cliff, but he says that I know more about the Flat Rate boxes than he does. I want to make sure we're all clear cause I would HATE to mail out the small box and someone else send me a larger box. I can stuff lots in boxes of any size, but want to know are we trying to stick to a certain size in this swap.

Thanks! *scritching his neck*

I'll probably be signing up, but let's wait a bit to make it official. I think it would be a GREAT idea to use a certain sized box to mail with! It would be interesting to see what all everyone can come up with to fill it! Not to mention would be a little easier on everyone's wallets. But that's just my opinion and if doing the one sized box wasn't the idea, is disregarded with no bruised feelings! :)

Kathy, good question! I'm talking about the flat rate box which is 11" X 8.5" X 5.5", and mails for $10.35. When you add in the cost of the delivery confirmation ($.65), the total to ship for everyone will be an even $11.
Like you, I think it will be interesting to see how many different things everyone can put in the same sized boxes!
If anyone has any further questions, ask away! I'm just sitting here watching birds through the window! LOL!
-Bump

well Bump, you sure know how to make things interesting...your 8 friends here said I should go ahead and play..they want to see what everyone sends...they said if it was 9 squashed bugs or spiders, they'd play too but they'll just watch instead!..."G"

Divahethr, the mnf group is all about making new friends, hence the name! So, if you'd like to join this swap, go right ahead! You're more than welcome!
So far we've got signed up...
Bump (for Dan, dan_the_mailman)
Allison/allisonwise
Linda/lindaruzicka
Melissa/hazelnutbunny

Bump Buddy, (reaching over scratching him behind the ears) I would love to join this month BUT I once again have way to many things going for May, so I am gonna have to sit this one out as well.

I am sure you will be a terrific host, I don't think you will need much coaching from Dan, you seem like a pretty smart cat to me. Now, make sure you get plenty of rest between postings, you know how this crowd can get. You make sure to keep Dan in line this month, I am sure he will be the one to stir up the MayHEM this month. Grab yourself a big plate of catnip with catgrass on the side and watch the humans play in your very creative swap!

Have fun this month everyone, I will be watching to see who gets paired with who and what was received, that is always fun in these SURPRISE partner swaps!
:) Fran

Okay....These surprise swaps ARE great....Just so long as I don't get confused again, and try to send the box without an addy. (it WAS a surprise, after all! LOL)
My postal lady hasn't let me live that one down yet.

Probably what will end up happening is that I'll get my box all packed, have it sealed & sitting on the desk- no addy or name- and I'll be getting worried & anxious, thinking I KNOW I have to mail that to someone...but WHO?? Who?? Am I going senile? Did I forget?? OHMYGOODNESS, Who does this BELONG TO???

Tiyli, Carol can play in this swap, and you can help her out by giving her some advice on what to put in the box she'll be sending out. HOWEVER, there will be no cat-eating!!! That's just horrible! But then, what do you expect from a lower lifeform??? MEOW!!! Silly dog!!!

Heather, you're in! Diene, Carol, and Melissa, so are you! And don't worry Bunny, I've got some special instructions for you so you can not get worried and anxious. When you've got your box, simply put a post-it note on it while you're filling it that says what it is for, and when you'll be getting your recipients address (May 3rd). And, if you should find yourself still getting nervous, just go have a talk with Gypsy. She may be young (and cute! too bad I'm neutered! lol!), but she's still a cat, which means she is wise beyond belief!

CATS RULE!!!

Oh, Dan says (after looking everything over) to tell you all that no two people will be trading boxes. Linda may send a box to Diene, but that would mean Diene won't be sending her box to Linda. Meowwww! Don't you just love surprises! Hmmm, speaking of surprises, I should probably go tell Stella to get on top of the bookshelf and wait for Dan to walk by before jumping. She does almost everything I tell her, can you believe it?
Here's a recent picture of the two of us...

My owner (calli) would like to say hi. She said she would love to Purr.....tisapate in this swap. She also said to tell dan cat grass! (YUK) Theirs nothing like the great outdoors the grass outside is soooo..much sweeter.

Would some one please start a new post for the april fools swap so I can share contents of my amazing box.
I'm not sure how to start a new one

Bump~
So far it's been a good day! I'm working on asserting my authority in this house. It's all going well so far. The humans are catering to my every need, and to reward them, last night I allowed the biggest ones to sleep on the queen sized kitty bed in the master bedroom.
I, of course, slept in the very middle, while the humans slept on the edges to avoid getting in my "space". This morning, I helped fold the laundry. They weren't doing it the correct way, so I showed them a much better way. That, of course, entailed completely starting from scratch....I must have had to unfold & toss around nearly 20 shirts!
Oh, and I've also helped to organize the desk top. Who ever heard of keeping pens & papers on TOP of the desk? It makes much more sense to be on the floor, in easy reach.
But, wow...I'm exhausted!
Yep, I do believe I'm getting this ownership thing down!

Well, I'm off to untie some shoe laces. I do hope they appreciate all the hard work I'm doing for them.

Hello All;
I realized that diene had never introduced me, I guess because she knows I am shy. I appeared on her DH's doorstep in 1993 before he even knew she existed but life has become much more palatable since she joined the family. It is difficult in this part of the world because they have doors that I find hard to open but with two humans, there is always one available.
I have very little interest in the garden except for the catmint and I understand diene just came home from Lowes with some catnip. Six plants!!
By the way, my name is Alex which is short for Alexandra.

Just finished my first swap and had so much fun, so count me IN for this one. If delayed shipment is ok, that is. I have to travel the first week of may, so I can't actually mail the box until the 8th or 9th. But it looks like that fits within the rules, so I'm IN!

I'm loving all the cat photos. Haven't had one myself in years, but I love seeing everyone elses. Keep 'em coming!

Oh Bump, you are such a creative little kitty! I'm in on this one. I've been sitting the last few out, but this one sounds VEERRRY INTERRRESSTTING!

I've been felineless for a few years now. Something always seems to happen to my feline friends. (Secretly I think the dogs would take them to the woods to play with the coyotes.) But I am considering getting a kitten in May when they are old enough. Just wondering how I will adjust to your inquisitive little minds again. You know, getting up on the kitchen table (bad kitty!), rearranging things around the house, using the flower beds for a litter box (really, really bad kitty!)etc! Since I lost one of my canine friends last year the other ones seems so lonely and I am sure a new friend would cheer her up and keep her in line.

Meow, Everyone! I've been helping Dan with the laundry, but now that it's done, I can spend some time here, trying to keep you humans organized. I've decided to allow Stella to help by keeping an eye out for your e-mails. She says there've been a few, but not everyone has sent in their information yet. I told her to give it some time, and to keep looking. So, she's at the window, looking for e-mail from you all. Sisters!
Now that I've got Stella busy at the window, and Dan is in the kitchen making my breakfast, I've had the chance to update the list of people playing this time around. Here it is...

Good morning Bump!
I wouldn't miss your swap for the world! I have a feral kitty outside with my 3 rescue dogs, as well a my little chiweenie dog inside. I hope that meets your qualifications! Kitty appeared here about 2 years ago and he's been with me ever since. He lives down at my tractor shed and I haven't had a single mouse in the house since he came. He's an orange tabby. He still won't let me touch him, but I can always hope.
Can't wait to see what entertainment you've got planned for us Bump!

Well, while we've got your attention, Bump...
Gotta question for ya. Ya know that icky boogery stuff around kitten's noses? What's the best way to clean that? I gave her a bath yesterday, but that junk just keeps coming back...and it makes it really hard to play kissey face with her, ya know? I think it'd help if she kept her moist little nostrils out of dusty places...but good luck with THAT, huh??
Oh, and what's the best way to clean her ears, too?
Thanks a million. :O)

After a LOT of conversation, I have decided to let Karen play in this swap. She has reassured me that I won't be traded for a...ahh.....ok, alright, a CAT, I said it. She has had many feline pets over the years and so I've been a bit worried you see. She just REALLY wants to be a part of this swap though, so how could I say no?

Dear Ladybird, thank you for letting Karen play this month. Dan has spoken of Karen plenty of times, and I know they play well together. Although I do sometimes wonder what the big deal is about the brownies. Frankly, I don't know why these people go on like they do about putting oregano into brownies. They act like they're getting into the catnip or something! Go figure!

Actually, this swap is for all humans, whether they are currently living with a cat, dog, or bird, or not. And yes, even someone living with fish would be acceptable too. Why someone would actually live with food is beyond me, but I learned at an early age to not try to figure out you humans! Meow!

One thing I have figured out also is that humans like to be rewarded. Just this afternoon I gave out 3 stars each to those humans who had sent in their names, address, and e-mail, and since then I've received plenty of e-mails. And, Dan kept insisting that he deserved 3 stars too. After all, I've got his information too! Silly thing! Do you others find your humans to be this silly from time to time?

Lurking...
Fran/ncgardengirl
Nikki/nikkineel (yes, I see you lurking behind those bushes!)

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Now to answer some questions for Bunny. Unless Gypsy is actually climbing into the shower with you, she probably won't need another bath unless she falls into fertilizer or a coal bin. If you do find that she continues to enjoy a bath, make absolutely sure of two things, first, that you rinse all the soap out of her fur (it can cause dry skin and no cat likes to be known as Flaky. all you dogs need to be silent right now.) Second, you need to get pictures while she's wet and post them for us all to see! (They'll make great blackmail material later.) If Gypsy has a snotty nose, gently wipe it with a very soft tissue or your fingers. This is what Dan does for me and Stella. And, as for her ears, we let our vet do that one. Anyone else have any advice for Bunny?

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Okay, game time. This one is for bragging rights and a year's supply of used kitty litter! LOL! Let's see who can answer correctly the most of the following...

1. Name the best looking white persian cat ever to hit the movie screen.
2. Which cat has shown up in comic strips, movies, and television shows, along with his love of lasagna?
3. Which feline was the star of the first talking cartoon, a year before that mouse with the helium-induced voice from Disney?
4. Who is the model of persistence, never giving up on his quest to attain the tweety bird?
5. What 14-pound orange tabby did President Nixon invite to co-sign (with a paw-print) the National Animal Protection Bill?
6. He may be an old standby, but he never lets us down. When in doubt, turn to the story of the cat that transformed a dull, rainy afternoon into a magical and just-messy-enough adventure. Who is he?
7. Which cat, along with a chocolate lab named Buddy, ruled the United States?
8. Name the cat who is the better half of a cat-and-mouse cartoon duo.
9. My story was originally written by the Brothers Grimm but has since been drawn in cartoons, plays have been written about me, and I am the star of the movie Shrek II. Who am I?

Anyone else care to join? I'll post the answers to the game tomorrow, and yes, I'll be thinking of more games we can play. In the meantime, how many words (at least 3 letters long) can you make out of the word supercalifragalisticexpealidocious?

Ohhhh, Bump. Now everyone will now how weird I can be! I LOVE trying to find words within words. One of my favorite games online is Text Twist. I've liked doing this since I was a kid! You were probably just joking with this one, but I limited myself to only 1 hour...while I was getting kids ready for school. ( I could have worked on this all day) So here is my list:

Bunny isn't Mr Tinkles the one in the movie 'Cats & Dogs'? gosh I love that movie...lol

Had to take one of the pups to the vet ER this morning.. well she's a 38 1/2 pound pup...she's not been eating (or drinking I thought..) was very sluggish and not at ALL acting like her wild self! I was afraid she might have a blockage since she recently chewed up my daughter's sock.. chewed up the foam from their bedding.. tried to eat a plastic flower pot.. you get the idea! But the vet didn't feel anything..He did do some tests tho but he didn't do any xrays. Gave her some antibiotics and a shot for nausea to see if that would get her to eat and will call and check in 2 days how she's doin'. If she's not doing any better they want to xray and do more extensive testing.. :(

Bump two questions one what is that on your head in the above pic looks weird and if Dan is at work who is that personn you are sleeping with ? third I need Josephs address what is mail by date ?happy cat nipping. tiyli

Carol, to answer your questions... that's my paw over my eyes so I can sleep better, no one is sleeping with me in that picture, and lastly, the boxes are to be ready to mail out by May 3rd, which is when I'm individually e-mailing everyone and letting them know who to send the box to, and where to mail it. Everything is going to be a secret until then... hehehe! I mean... meowr!

Has everyone been able to get a flat rate box so they can start filling it? The box you want is 11" x 8.5" x 5.5" and mails out for $10.35. Remember, these are to be filled up BEFORE you find out who you are mailing to, increasing the surprise!

Hey Bump, what if mine is the 11 7/8" x 3 3/8" x 13 5/8" box? 'Cause I'm out of the ones you mentioned? It mails for $10.35 too ($11 with DC#). Ya know how slow the warehouse is about getting a box order to us, and Cliff can never remember which box I want, so I don't have him bring them home very often. I usually try to use what I have on hand. I have an order for that size box in, but though it says it takes 7-10 business days, it's usually longer by the time they process the order, cause that 7-10 days is the time it usually takes AFTER they process your order (and that can take a while!)

So, if I join this one, can I use the box I have on hand? Believe me, I can stuff a LOT into that box, which is about the same mailing area, just a different shape.

Oh, and for those wanting to order the boxes from the USPS site, they are free of charge, just keep in mind that it can take a few weeks for them to be delivered. The ones commonly used for swaps like this are the ones named Flat Rate Box-O-FRB1 (the one Bump gave the dimensions for above), and Flat Rate Box-O-FRB2 (the one I have on hand). Both of these mail for $10.35 ($11 with Delivery Confirmation). For smaller trades of cuttings, bulbs, etc, many use the Small Flat Rate Box which mails for $4.95 ($5.65 with Delivery Confirmation). I usually order about 25 of each and keep them on hand for swaps and trades. I also keep a supply of Delivery Confirmation slips and Priority Mail Address Labels on hand as well. I do a LOT of swaps each year as well as trades for various things that won't always do well in a bubble envelope, so I tend to keep these supplies on hand. They all all free to get, either through the order online or at your post office. If you need any help figuring out which ones, feel free to email me and I'll link directly to the order page for each item.

Using the same size box Kat is talking about would be fine. It's just a tad bit bigger, but it does ship for the same price ($11 for shipping & delivery confirmation). The main idea was to keep all of our boxes about the same size and cost, so let's say that either box can be used.
Thanks for bringing that up Kathy! Dan said I'd get help hosting this, and he was right! I'll tell him once he's done changing our litter boxes...
-Bump

I found something for my box today!! Of course it was not until this morning that I realized I was supposed to have the box ready to go before I even knew who was getting it. I like that idea. I have the box, now I just have to get the stuff ready. I think I will just figure out what I am going to dig up not dig until I get the addy, that has to be okay.
Please....diene

Diene, that'll be just fine...lol!
Bump is passed out at the moment, he's had a horribly hard day babysitting Stella and napping! LOL! Here's a picture of him...

Bunny, tell the kids that I was out delivering mail the Monday morning (3 days) after I got Jason, and I'd been thinking about getting a kitten to keep Jason company. Well, the name Bump just kind of hit me, and wouldn't go away. By the time I was done delivering my route, I "knew" I needed to go to the local pound and find Bump. I didn't know what he'd look like, but I knew he was there, and that he'd announce himself. I walked into where they keep all the cats and kittens, and there was this little guy in a cage with his two sisters. He was clinging to the wire door, stretching out his paw, mewing at me as if to say "Here I am, let's go!" I played with him a little, then moved down the row to look at the other kittens. I really liked the little guy, but wanted to take a look at all the kittens. He just kept clinging to the door of his cage, telling me to come get him. Well, I was only there about 3 or 4 minutes before I knew that was Bump, and now he's here to stay.
Since then, I've come to believe that he and I have exchanged parts of our souls, making us a part of one another. We each know when something is wrong with the other one, and you'll probably never see another cat more dependent on a human than him.

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Okay, I see that Bump promised you all some answers today. Since he's sleeping, I'll provide the answers, with their original questions, for you all. Here goes nothing...
1. Name the best looking white persian cat ever to hit the movie screen.
Answer - Duchess, from the Aristocats
2. Which cat has shown up in comic strips, movies, and television shows, along with his love of lasagna?
Answer - Garfield, of course!
3. Which feline was the star of the first talking cartoon, a year before that mouse with the helium-induced voice from Disney?
Answer - Felix the Cat
4. Who is the model of persistence, never giving up on his quest to attain the tweety bird?
Answer - Sylvester
5. What 14-pound orange tabby did President Nixon invite to co-sign (with a paw-print) the National Animal Protection Bill?
Answer - Morris
6. He may be an old standby, but he never lets us down. When in doubt, turn to the story of the cat that transformed a dull, rainy afternoon into a magical and just-messy-enough adventure. Who is he?
Answer - The Cat in the Hat
7. Which cat, along with a chocolate lab named Buddy, ruled the United States?
Answer - Socks
8. Name the cat who is the better half of a cat-and-mouse cartoon duo.
Answer - Tom, of Tom and Jerry
9. My story was originally written by the Brothers Grimm but has since been drawn in cartoons, plays have been written about me, and I am the star of the movie Shrek II. Who am I?
Answer - Puss'N'Boots

So, bogartbaby wins the prize, which will be delivered tomorrow at noon. Just one question, why haven't you signed up for this swap yet? We're always looking for new players!
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Okay, that's about it for me. I'll let the boss start a new game when he wakes up. Y'all have fun, and a great night!
-Dan

Yeh, Bump you have to watch that catnip. Too much of it and it really messes with your head! Probably pretty similar to the oregano Dan puts in the brownies for everyone! Speaking of that, aren't we about due for a round? Of brownies, I mean.

Alright, Bump, my box is already pretty much ready and Snarf and Ginger say I can play with all the other human servants. They said that since they finished inspecting Nikki's box for the April's Fools swap, that the other box I have put together needs just a few more things and it will be ready to be sealed up, I have worked hard and deserve to join this one too. (Not to mention LOTs of tummy scratches, ear rubs, chin scratches and extra treats! They said it's not because you're a cat, cause they like playing with cats, it's just because there are other animal overlords involved and I had to pay proper homage to my own Liege Lord and Lady first!) They also said that since the box would probably arrive well before my surgery date, that I could even help (stand or sit and point) plant out anything that should happen to arrive in said box. Then after the surgery I'll be able to sit in my computer room window or be helped outside to the back yard to enjoy whatever I receive! And Nikki just sent me a lovely new vase so that Cliff and the kids can bring some of the garden to the hospital and into the house for me to enjoy as well! This will probably be my last one until fall or winter so....

Bunny, that's a great picture! She's adorable! Now, don't read what's in the parentheses, okay? (Linda, should we tell her you gave Lili a brownie and that's why she's sucking her thumb?)

Kathy, I'm glad you've been allowed to jump in! Dan's been telling me you would!
And Wendy? Are you sure you can't play this month? ***waving catnip in front of her nose to help hypnotize her*** If not, we'll understand, but are you sure??? (Linda, feed Wendy another brownie...)

Meow, I need e-mails from Allison, Deb, Mark, and Kathy with your name, address, garden web name, and e-mail listed in them please. I'll need all of these before I'm able to let everyone know who they're to send their boxes to.

And now, it's time to go roll in some new catmint Dan received today! Hey Stella! Wait for me!

Just a note to tell you that Alex will be getting her bath tomorrow so I will try to take a picture of her after, she really looks pitiful and not happy at all but it seems to help with the dander and shedding. She did not have an April bath as she had a cold that week and we did not want to kill her. DH is the bather, not me and he has to work next Saturday so he decided to do it early. Plus it is supposed to be quite warm tomorrow and since she loves to go outside and roll around after her bath, that might be a nice trade off for her.
I have my box and some stuff but I will wait until next week to fill it. Have a great weekend everyone.
diene

Lili is looking beautifull. quit giving her brownies please. Bunny ate enough of them while she was pregnant. Bump I wanna get a kitten but we have a jack russell we don't trust her to not try to eat it. we have a lot of strays that stop by but she chases them. pass the brownies please. don't think its safe to put any plants in a box that won't get mailed untill the third can't wait for my name. has anyone heard from Pixie ? I miss her
hugs carol

please count me in on this one too. I am enjoying meeting new friends... We don't have any cats we have 2 dogs a great dane(abby) and a highland terrior(peaches). we are trying to find the kids some kitties for outside though..

Welcome to all the new people who have signed up! Glad to have you aboard! Please don't forget to e-mail Dan with your name, address, garden web name, and e-mail (he makes such a good secretary! gives a good bellyrub too!).
For this swap to work, all of your information needs to be in by midnight, May 2nd.

Anymore of you lurkers out there??? (holding out some cat nip) Here person, person, person. Here person, person, person...want to join the other people???

Don't forget, sign-ups go on for another week! Then, a week from tomorrow, I'll be e-mailing each of you who've signed up with the name and address of who to send your box to. Then, the May(hem) will be begin when you are all tracking all those delivery confirmation numbers, trying to figure out which one is coming to you! Meowr, that's going to be fun!

Have a purrrrrrrrrfect day!
(those of you with dogs are welcome to have purrrrrrrrrfect day too!

Getting my box ready. Finding a few things here and there when I'm out. I guess it's too hot to send chocolate. Every gardener needs some chocolate this time of year. Gotta keep that planting energy up!

Diane looks like an unhappy kitty. Bump you better be nice or we are gonna all come over and give you a spay bath. Tiyli says she will round you up. says it should be easy to grab you by that big fluffy tail. I am having trouble getting a samall flat rate box, may have to lightly pack a large one we only have 1 post office. next nearest one is 50 miles away. I;ll make do

Carol, use your best judgement. You've been around long enough that you know what to do. Dan says so!

You're right Joseph! There are only a handful of days left to sign up and get your information in! We still need an e-mail of information from Deb and Jamie!
And how about you lurkers? You know you want to participate! Linda, wave those brownies and that tea around some more, and I'll use the catnip on'em! Meow!!!

Bump,
Here at the farm, the rescue dogs, kitties, horses, goats and poultry have taken a vote and want our human to participate in this swap. Would that be O.K.?? Pushing our human out of the corner into the yard, (te he)...can she play, pleeeease???
The FairyOak Farm Menagerie

Hey Linda;
I have a bud on my magnolia which is the very first magnolia to survive a winter here for me. Many of the magnolias I see in town are in full bloom and even one down the street is but mine is not yet. But it at least has a bloom. I worry because I am not sure we are done with frosts and that does kill the flowers.
By the way, Alex (the cat) has been having monthly baths for seventeen years now so "no" she does not freak out, she whines when she is being carried to the sink but resigns herself the minute DH starts hosing her down. She was a stray with fleas, tapeworm and freezing when she found him so I think she has decided that the monthly bath is not a deal breaker.
She is rather spoiled in all other ways.
diene

fairyoak, you're more than welcome to come play with us! I just had Dan (he makes a great secretary, by the way!) send you an e-mail.

Now, since the weekend is fast approaching, I thought I'd better remind you humans what all is involved in this swap. We, your owners, know how you sometimes tend to forget things. But that's okay. It just makes you all that much more adorable, and we are quite used to looking after you anyway...meow! (Stella, put down that whip!)
Here's the reminder...
In a flat rate box (available at your local post office if you don't have one handy), you are to include 9 different types of seeds, bulbs, or plants, one item which you think would be helpful for a gardener, and a short note about yourself. The contents of the rest of the box (if any) are up to you. Boxes are to be ready to be shipped out before you receive the name of your recipient on Sunday the 3rd of May. Boxes are to be shipped out between the 4th and 9th, with a delivery confirmation number being posted on the swap thread, but not the name of who you sent it to.
I know a lot of you have already gotten your boxes ready, and that's just great! Your owners must be so proud of you!

Wendy, Fran, Nikki, Tammy, & Kamil, are you sure you can't play with us this time? How much catnip is it going to take to get you all to say "yes"???

Bump, I meant spray not spay. Mark I want those mice they are adorable. Bump get dan to make some of his special brownies, leave the mushrooms out tho. Bunny was seen dancing nude at he park last time you put them in the brownies, I think the oregano is enough. p.o got some small flat rate boxes in so I am ok now pass a brownie please

I've been lurking long enough and I can't think of a reason not to join the party. Please sign me up!

I don't really have any house cats (I hope it's not a problem) but we do have a neighborhood cat who keep me company when I'm outside (and keep the mice away, yay!) So he's like family now :0) His name is Kitty (original I know) I'll try to get a picture of him, he's quite a handsome fellow!

Great pics everyone, and those babies are just precious!

Linda, please pass some of the cookies and tea. Dan, I'll pass on the brownies....lord only knows what would happen if I ate one of those 'special' treats, LOL.

Monica, welcome! And, I'm afraid that, if you're going to have some of Linda's tea, you might as well enjoy some brownies too. Linda has a special recipe she uses, sort of like the Baldwin sisters on The Waltons, remember that show? LOL! No wonder we're a bunch of "shiny, happy people", eh? (Cats too!)

I don't actually *have* a box yet, but I've got the contents pretty well established. I had an incident at the store on Sunday, where I left an entire bag of goodies for the swap at the register, and didn't realize it until days later. So some will need to be replaced.

Ever have one of THOSE days? Yeah, I know you have. :O)
Multiple things have gone wrong today...I won't name what...but you KNOW it's been a goober of a day when you try to drain the can of spaghetti sauce. LOL

That picture of Bump gave me shivers as I had a friend many years ago who called me hysterically crying, "I killed him, I killed him!" Now I knew she was having trouble with her husband but he was a jerk so I was concerned. I rushed to her home and discovered she had dried the new kitten she had just brought home. He was toast, no pun intended.
So be real careful of the dryer with cats, they do like small warm places.
diene

After that story of Diene's, I'm thinking she WAS wishing it was the husband!
Any time I do laundry, washer OR dryer, I've got to keep checking for Bump. He likes to "inspect" things up close, so before I shut the door and turn the machine on, I have to do a head count. If there aren't two cats in sight, I search until I find them. Stella isn't too much trouble, but with Bump, you never really know.....

And, speaking of the Bumpster, he says to remind everyone that they've got about 42 hours left to sign up and get their boxes ready. He'll be e-mailing everyone with a name and address sometime on Sunday.

Everyone have a great weekend! I'm hoping to attend an art festival tonight in the downtown area!

MAYDAY MAYDAY!
Help, Bump!
I have a problem. One of my own making, I can admit....
I bought something JUST for this swap, something *I* think is cool...but it WON'T FIT IN THE SMALL FLAT RATE!
Could I possibly be allowed to send it in the large flat rate box? Pretty please?
I promise I won't overload the box with other goodies (it'll be hard, but I promise I won't....), just what would fit in the small flat rate (well, besides the thingy...you know what I mean....)
I *thought* it would fit. Really, I did....otherwise I would've picked up something a bit smaller, but just as nice.

It's not squishable, or else I would try....But it's kinda heavy, so the larger flat rate won't necessarily be costing more. (if that makes sense?)

Bunny, you may use the large flat rate box if you wish, by all means! That goes for anyone else too! Meow! You silly people, a cat would think you'd been into the catnip or something, the way you all act sometimes! Yes, I know how you all love to break the rules! Don't forget, I've been helping Dan with his garden web swaps since the very beginning, and I like to read these threads while he's gone to work sometimes. You all are SO amusing!!! MEOW!!!

Yep you are the funny one miss bunnykeep your clothes on while doing your may pole dance, or dan will be stalking you and bump will miss him. I'm packing my box and waiting for my name. happy mothers day
carol

Annie, I got your message, thank you! I've copied it and sent it to a few of the ladies here to ask their advice, hoping to find a positive solution. I appreciate you giving me the heads up! Thanks! -Dan

The responsibility of a swap host is to provide everyone playing a safe, fun place to swap boxes, relax, and share their common passion of gardening. Different hosts have varying styles, which is why we are able to always keep a fresh, innovative atmosphere here in the MNF group. We don't have a lot of rules here, but we do require that EVERY participant fulfills the requirement of sending a box to someone. After all, who wants to send out a box, and wait in excitement for a return box which never arrives? The answer to that one is... no one.
Over the last year in which I've been playing here in the MNF swaps, we've all shared a lot of laughs, tears, joy, and heartache. As one of those who've had some heartaches this past year, I can honestly say that if it wasn't for this group of people, I don't think I could have made it through those times. And, in the last year, I've seen that there is a core group of men and women willing to host these swaps. We don't ask anyone to host that doesn't want to. Those of us who do shoulder the task of hosting a swap enjoy it, which is why we do it.
Today, I received an alert concerning one of the players in this months swap, Jamie Ashcraft, who is currently going by the Garden Web name of ashcraftbunch. I then alerted some of my fellow hosters, and we have acted together today, deciding to ban Jamie from this swap, and any others in the future. Jamie has NOT fulfilled her obligations repeatedly, even going to the extent of using other Garden Web names. She has repeatedly accepted boxes from other people, and has repeatedly NOT sent boxes back. I will be e-mailing a copy of this entry shortly, thus telling her of our decision.
I also, at this time, am going to publish Jamie's name and address so that anyone from the garden web can come to this thread and get this information for themselves. Hopefully Jamie will not be able to dupe anyone else. I will also provide a link to this message in the rate and review forums so people can access it. This is all done without malice towards Jamie, and she is quite welcome to fulfull her obligations, past and present, to remove this bad reputation she has earned herself.
-Dan

Just a little fyi for you all... I didn't realize last night I couldn't post Jamie's full name and address, and I've received a couple of notes from Kat and diene giving me some edumacation, so I've written to the moderators, asking them to remove the entry with her name and address, and to let me know what all we CAN do to make sure she doesn't do any more damage.
Together we act. Together we learn.
I want to also publicly thank Annie (canyonwind) for her heads up on the whole thing. If she hadn't, we would have had a messed up swap. As it is now, we can keep moving ahead and enjoy ourselves and all the surprises in store!
THANKS ANNIE!!!
Now, was there something I was supposed to do today? Hmmm, anyone know what it was?
-Dan (SfB)

LET THE DANCE BEGIN! YOU'VE ALL BEEN SENT THE NAME & ADDRESS OF WHO YOU ARE TO SEND YOUR BOX TO. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU GET IT SO I CAN MAKE SURE YOU ALL GET YOUR NAME.
NO TELLING WHO YOU ARE SENDING YOUR BOX TO!
-THE MANAGEMENT

I just finished digging out in the yard, bagging up plants for my recipient, and you know something? I have no clue as to whether I've met any of their wants with the seeds and plants I'm sending. And, you know what else? I think I'm going to keep it that way so I can share in the surprise when (s)he gets it all. Being Bumps secretary in this swap has been a lot of fun, but I made him decide who was sending to who, and then e-mail all those addresses out this morning. After all, I wanted to be surprised too!

Now, who is getting the box I'm sending out? Want a clue? Hmmm, well, I know they live north of Mexico and south of Canada. Or is that too much of a hint?
Stay tuned for the next clue...

It is going someplace on planet Earth. I was so glad you didn't give me someone in Canada or Mexico! It would be real hard to get this experiment over the border! It was hard enough to sedate it to put it in the box in the first place!

Happy mailing day, everyone! Bunny, I also had to move to a bigger box, because some items were just not the right shape. But I tried to keep the filled volume down to what I'm supposed to send, so my box has a bit of air in it also.

Since I have to catch a plane this morning, I searched to find a post office that opened early. Found one that opened at 730am. And in an adventure that I'll only describe as "Rains, Trains, and Automobiles" I still managed to arrived early at 725am. Would you believe I was already the fifth person in line?!? That's NoVa for ya - full of overachievers.

I am so excited about my partner! I need to finish getting a few other trades together so I can send Cliff to work with an armload of boxes :) So give me a day or so. I have the DC slips here at home, so I'll have a number to post by Wednesday at latest.

Kathy~ off to stuff more things into the box :P Surely that will fit too, right? And this... and oHHHH that will fit... I'm sure I can make it fit! Just gotta move this here, and package that a little different... *wandering off, muttering to self as she shifts things around*

Hello All;
I have to admit that I slacked a bit on seeds and then tried to get it together and have a big dilemna. I am a terrible cleaner of seeds. The easy ones I have no problem with but the ones that do not separate easy are beyond my capabilities. So, I will be sending seeds cleaned using diene's special method (which really stinks!!) But they are fresh seeds from my gardens last year so they should be fine.
I am having a bit of an issue getting things together but I should get it done before deadline.
All of you well organized people, phooey!!
diene

ROTFLMBFHWAO!!! I'm dressed in yellow in that maypole picture! What do you think of my hat???

CONFESSION TIME: Yeah, I'm guilty. I had to use a Large Flat Rate box to mail the stuff out to my recipient. After doing all that digging and bagging up those plants, they just wouldn't fit into anything else smaller. I asked Bump what to do, but he was busy grooming Stella and didn't respond. So, whoever that box is going to will just have to deal with getting a larger box than Bump said to send!

Oh, before I forget, the dc# for my box is 0308 3390 0000 2354 5212.

As for someone keeping a list of the dc#s, aren't we all supposed to be tracking them? I think that was what Bump intended, a bit of mayhem for us all. Now, if someone should feel the need to start such a list, well, it's not going to be me this time. hehehe After all, I got a glimpse of Bump's list this morning! In this case, it's good to be living with the host!

I hardly ever complain. I even accept when I cannot manage to get a Bleeding Heart bush to grow from seed or tubers and have finally resolved that I will try a rooted cutting next then finally break down and just buy a large nursery sized one. I diligently tend to you, adding compost, mulch, love, time, seeds and no chemicals. I doggedly pull and dig weeds out rather than resorting to chemicals. I welcome even spiders, which I despise inside the house, as long as they stay outside, I just gently nudge them along rather than squishing them. I spread seeds wherever I go, as often as I can. I have been a really good girl and I am hoping that all of my loving care will earn me a boon.

I ask only this.... stop the rain and save some of it for the summer when I cannot get enough rain. It has been raining almost all day daily for about two weeks now. I really miss the sun and so do my plants. It is for them that I ask, because just like they cannot grow without enough water, with too much water and not enough sun, they don't grow and thrive and give me pretty, sweet smelling flowers, or healthy, tasty veggies for my family.

My DC #0307 3330 0001 8134 4312 And I can tell you that it is definitely going to somewhere in the U.S. I think it was going to NC. Or was that PA? No, maybe it was GA. I know. I'm sure it was IL. No that doesn't sound right. Oh well, you'll just have to figure it out. HAPPY TRACKING!

A lot of you people have posted your confirmation numbers like you were supposed to. Meow!!! Clean litter boxes go to the following people...
antiqueorchid
lindaruzicka
kanlena67
markcase1964
proudgm_03
sakura_komichi
mommyto2
and a slightly soiled one goes to Dan, who I caught trying to peek at the swap list this morning! MRRRRRR!!!!! No belly rub for him tonight!!!

That's 8 out of 10 on the first day! This is off to a great start! Your owners should be proud of you!
So tell me, are any of you going crazy yet, trying to figure out which dc# you should be tracking? Hmmm??? Hehehe and meow!
-Bump

Hey Guys,
All us animals at the Fairy Oak Farm are supposed to say that our mom sent out her package today too, tracking # is 03083390000170257419. She would have posted earlier but one of her silly goats got stuck in the fence and almost lost an ear......oh my, she was really stressed there for a minute, (te he...we like to do that)
Mom hope her package makes it to er, umh, well......somewhere good soon.

I found 8 packages in the system. Mine has, over the course of 14 hours, traveled all the way from the city to the 'burbs (the main processing center for the area). So no real clue where that one's going yet (except that I'm pretty sure it's not going to me!). Denise's box made it all the way to another state today - but I don't know that anyone lives in that direction, so she may be trying to throw us off the trail.

Sorry the map is crowded with place names and such. I'm teaching myself how to use this software, and I don't know all the tricks yet. You'll see that so far each box has its own shape/color, and I've drawn an arrow for the direction Denise's box has traveled.

Mostly it's just pinpoints now, but by tomorrow evening we should be seing some good movement!

Mark, I was hoping that Mother Nature would send some of the rain elsewhere... now if only she'll listen to my plea for a little sun and saving some of the rain here for the summer!

Well, since it's about 2:45 am, and I'm up again... I figured I'd do something constructive.

Soooo... I decided to make clickable links for all of the DC's that have been posted so far. CA can keep us going with the map and I'll try to keep up with making clickable links for them as the rest come in :)

Meow! Make a little mistake or two, and you'd think I'd puked in someone's shoe or something! LOL! You people! Actually, the number of players is 18, not 10 like I typed earlier. Things can get a bit confusing or messed up when Stella is wanting to play. Silly kitten!
I'm going to start a new thread for you all to play in momentarily, so please go to it for further postings.

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THIS THREAD IS NOW CLOSED -BUMP